Hungarians will be permitted to make their own vodka-style moonshine, known as Palinka

Published: August 5, 2010

Hungarians will be permitted to make their own vodka-style moonshine, known as Palinka (min 40% alcohol content) after a law was passed putting home-made Palinka in the same category as other home-made delicacies.

Already small alcohol distilling manufacturers (mostly enjoying a monopoly situation) are complaining that they will go out of business once people are no longer compelled to have their brew distilled by them.

Only a privileged few were allowed to distil alcohol by license, while private home-distilling was outlawed. Fortunately rural Hungarians will enjoy the sunshine-mode until 2015, after which they may be outlawed again as the European Union laws come into effect in Hungary also.

Unconfirmed reports claim that Hungarians on average consume some 3-litres/year of Palinka per capita.